The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton (nee Jones) is a classic partly because of the author's superb writing and intimate knowledge of the monied class (the phrase "keeping up with the Joneses" was reportedly first used to describe the wealthy family of her father).

Others give themselves up to what they call keeping up society, which means being more at home in every person's house than their own; and some do a little weak art, and others a little feeble literature; but there are very few indeed who honestly buckle to the natural duties of their position, and who bear with the tedium of home work as men bear with the tedium of office work.